562 - UECKER, GÜNTHER

UECKER, GÜNTHER 1930 Wendorf–2025 Düsseldorf Title: Untitled (Kissen und Buch, hell). Date: 1969/2021. Technique: Bronze, patinated. Measurement: 25 x 34 x 25 cm. Notation: Signed, dated and numbered on the bottom: Uecker 1969-2021 IV/VI. Foundry mark: Next to this, foundry mark. From an edition of 19 Arabic- and 6 Roman-numbered copies in this colour variation. The edition ‘Untitled (Cushion and Book)’ was produced in 2021 as a patinated bronze cast. Provenance: - Private collection Hessen One of Günther Uecker’s great passions was travelling. On one such trip to Bhutan in 1968, he made a particular observation that preoccupied him deeply: the Buddhist monks living there kept their books under their pillows at night. This unusual connection between book, pillow and sleep fascinated Uecker greatly. For the artist, it linked something everyday with a profound spiritual and religious significance. The idea that the prayer book lay beneath the head during the night – and thus in immediate proximity to the person – and the question of whether its contents might be absorbed, left a lasting impression on him. As a parting gift, Uecker was given a pillow and a second-hand prayer book. Back in Germany, he turned them into an art object of his own: he joined the pillow and the book together by forcefully driving a large nail through both elements. Thus, from his personal memories of his journey and experiences, a powerful sculptural work emerged. The nail, a characteristic element of Uecker’s art, takes on essential significance in this context. It is not merely a means of joining the two objects, but becomes, as it were, a symbol: the artwork holds together the book and the cushion, the spiritual world and everyday life, knowledge and contemplation. More than fifty years later, a small edition in bronze was produced from the original one-off piece. Thanks to state-of-the-art technical processes, this unique work of art was captured in three dimensions, enabling a model – or rather a casting mould – to be produced for the creation of the bronze sculpture. In this way, the concept behind the original work was transformed into a new material, ensuring its immortality. Estimated shipping costs for this lot: The lot is unsuitable for parcel shipping. Transport only by shipping company after consultation following the auction. additional shipping insurance Shipping insurance up to total invoice amount of 25,000 Euros: max. 41.65 Euro over a total invoice amount of 25,000 Euros: 1.8 o/oo USA by individual arrangement after the auction. #Günther Uecker #ZERO #Germany #Post-War Art #2020s #Scultpures. In accordance with §26 UrhG (German Copyright Act), VAN HAM is obliged to pay a statutory resale royalty on the sale proceeds of all original works of fine art and photography whose authors have not been deceased for 70 years prior to the end of the calendar year of the sale. The buyer shall contribute 1.5% of the hammer price to this fee.